Opportunity & Equity 2014: Jane Zehnder Merrell

Race for Results: building a path to opportunity

for all children

Jane Zehnder-Merrell, Kids Count in Michigan Project Director Prosperity Coalition

May 6, 2014

2

oAfrican American

oAmerican Indian

oAsian and Pacific Islander

oLatino/Hispanic

oWhite

oTwo or more races (US only)

(Mutually exclusive - OMB categories for racial and ethnic groups

as reported/collected by Federal Statistical Agencies)

Major Racial/Ethnic Groups

3

• economically successful families,

• supportive communities,

• meeting developmental, health and educational milestones

12 key milestones/conditions to successful adulthood

• Range: birth to young adulthood – ages 0-29

• Collection: regular and comparable-state and national

Goals for All Children

4

• Babies Born at Normal Birthweight (5.5 lbs)

• Children (3-5) Enrolled in Nursery School, Preschool or Kindergarten

• Children living in Low-Poverty Areas (<20

percent)

Supportive Communities

5

• Females Ages 15 to 19 Delay Childbearing

• Children Living with a Householder having at Least a High School Diploma

• Children in Two-Parent Families

• Children in Families with Incomes Above 200 percent of Poverty

Economically Successful Familes

6

• Fourth Graders at/Above Proficient in Reading

• Eighth Graders at/Above Proficient in Math

• High School Students Graduating on Time

• Young Adults (19-26) in School/ Work

• Young Adults (25-29) with Associate Degree +

Meeting Milestones

7

Race for Results Index: US

775 701

398 380 348

0

300

600

900

Asian andPacific

Islander

White Latino AmericanIndian

Black

Michigan's two largest racial/ethnic groups have worse outcomes/conditions than their national counterparts.

Race for Results Index—higher scores reflect better results

Asian/Pacific Islander

White

American Indian/

Alaskan Native

Hispanic/Latino

Black/African American

787

501

668

244

411

776

345

404

387

704

0 250 500 750 1,000

Almost one of every three children in Michigan is a child of color—much less diverse than the nation.

White 1,548,470

69%

American Indian 13,941

1% Asian/Pacific Islander 64,914

3%

Hispanic/Latino 173,982

7%

Other 97,437

4%

Black/ African American

367,603 16%

Source: Kids Count Data Center

White children in Michigan were worse off than their national peers.

White Children (69%)- 1.5 million

0 250 500 750 1,000

Race for Results Index—with 1,000 as the best score

827

827

812

704

668

559

521

Massachusetts

New Jersey

Connecticut

Unites States

Michigan

Mississippi

West Virginia

Outcomes/conditions for Michigan’s white children were substantially worse than their national peers on four measures.

White Non-Hispanic Children (69%)

75%

50%

25%

0%

36% 44% 45%

37% 40% 47%

63% 69%

Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation: Race for Results

Math proficiency Reading proficiency Associate’s degree Income above 200% (grade 8) (grade 4) or higher (ages 25-29) of the FPL

African American children in Michigan were worse off than their peers in every state but Mississippi and Wisconsin.

African American Children (16%) – 368,000

Hawaii

New Hampshire

United States

Louisiana

Michigan

Mississippi

Wisconsin

0 250 500 750

Race for Results Index—with 1,000 as the best score

583

538

345

252

244

243

238

African American children in Michigan fell well below their national peers on most key indicators.

African American Children (16%)

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

Math Reading Associate’s Above 200% Low-poverty Two-parent On-time H.S. In school or proficiency proficiency degree+ of the FPL area (less families graduation working (grade 8) (grade 4) (ages 25-29) than 20%) (ages 19-26)

7%

14% 12% 17%

30% 37%

50%

35%

26% 26% 19%

32%

65% 59%

72% 66%

Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation: Race for Results

African American children in Michigan were less likely to live in a low-poverty neighborhood than those in any other state.

African American Children (16%)

64

50 45 41

35 31 30

Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation: Race for Results

75

60

45

30

15

0

New Jersey United New York Illinois Arkansas Mississippi Michigan States

Overall Hispanic/Latino children in Michigan were slightly better off than their national peers.

Hispanic/Latino Children (7%) – 174,000

Race for Results Index -- with 1,000 as the best score

540

573

521

411

404

336

331

Alaska

New Hampshire

Hawaii

Michigan

United States

Rhode Island

Alabama

0 250 500 750

Householder with a Math proficiency On-time H.S. H.S. diploma (grade 8) graduation

14% 21%

71% 63%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

Conditions/outcomes for Michigan Hispanic/Latino children differ substantially from national averages on three measures.

Hispanic/Latino Children (7%)

71% 63%

Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation: Race for Results

National RECOMMENDATIONS

• DATA

• CONNECT THE DOTS: DATA POLICY

• PROGRAMS – PROMISING/EVIDENCE-BASED

• INCLUSION – ECONOMIC & EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS

Reducing Racial Inequity

•Concentrated poverty

• Education

• Employment

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This is our future, and it is NOW.